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One of the four model tanks on the Tank Corps Memorial.
This position, beside the Pozières Windmill site, on the Somme battlefield was selected as the place for the Tank Corps memorial because it was near here that tanks first went into action with the British Army as a new, surprise weapon against the German Army in the First World War. In the night of 14th September 1916, a total of 36 tanks made their way to their allotted departure points for the launch of the British and French attack on the German positions between Courcelette and Combles. Under a third of that number of tanks managed to make an impact on the German strongpoints, the others either breaking down, getting stuck or being knocked out.
Copyright James Lyall